Visual & Oral history of the Indian Subcontinent via family archives
My mother Anupa Nathaniel (right) with her closest friend Shalini Gupta, Delhi, Circa 1962
Image and Text contributed by Anisha Jacob Sachdev, New Delhi.
This picture with my mother Anupa Jacob (nee Nathaniel) and her closest friend Shalini was taken when they were in school at Convent of Jesus & Mary in Delhi. They would have been around 15 years old. My mother was a Rajasthani, from the small town of Nasirabad near Ajmer. Her father was orphaned when a plague hit the village, he and many others were then adopted by the British. Everyone adopted was converted to Christianity and given the last name ‘Nathaniel’. From Nathu Singh, my grandfather became Fazal Masih Nathaniel. He went on to become the Head of the English Language Department at Mayo College, Ajmer.
My mother married my father Philip Jacob, in 1968. He is a Syrian Christian - whom she met while she was studying at school around the age of 15, he was studying at St. Columba’s School.
One of the most interesting parts of my mother’s life was that Shalini, some other friends and she, formed the first ever Delhi University‘s Girl Rock Band called “Mad Hatter” in their 1st year of college at Miranda House. My mother was the lead guitarist and singer. Because of that status, when the Beatles performed, albeit privately in Delhi in 1966, the Mad Hatters were given front seats priority.
My mother had four kids. She was also a piano teacher, and her youngest child and my youngest sister Arunima is autistic but an ace piano player and has performed Beethoven Music pieces with complete accuracy.
My mother suffered a cardiac arrest in 1982, and passed away in 1986. Shalini Gupta, my mother’s friend in the photograph (left) is now a psychologist in London.
Indian Memory Project - YouTube Channel
interesting,intimate and innocent.enjoyed reading it..
Your tidbit about the name Nathaniel fascinates me; have you seen any documentary evidence of the practice? In more than a few books I have read that the British, among other follies, preferred Muslims and Sikhs over all others – a quaint kinship among monotheists perhaps, and warlike people too in their mind. So it doesn’t surprise me that your grandfather’s name was changed from Nathu Singh (most likely Hindu, given Rajasthan) to Fazal Masih (very Muslim).
Hi,
This is such a fantastic endeavour. Hats off. I am writing because I am researching a new documentary idea for the french TV channel Arte. The idea is to tell the recent history of India, through the lived experience of 3 generations of a delhi based family. We would like the current generation of the family to be enterpreneurs, a symbol of the new india growth story. We are looking for volunteers who can write us at indianfamily2011@gmail.com or visit our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Indian-Family/127602833983733?sk=wall
looking forward to many responses,
thanks
Gautham
Lovely picture, and what a story to accompany it! Thanks Anisha.
Mad Hatters FTW!!
What a great story, and what an absolutely gorgeous picture. Love that these demure women were in reality rockers! Haha. Thanks for sharing Anisha.
very touching and educating too! considering that even then,music and bands were a part of life.alongwith it all,the family connections you have mentioned are so amazing…
Its an wonderful phase of 60′s shared with all of us.thanks! enjoyed a quick peek….
Beautiful picture. Thanks for sharing it with us. Also, thanks for bits of history of your family. History makes this picture even more beautiful. Dont you have pictures of your mother’s band ? Would love to see them also !
absolutely fascinating!
I was quite amazed to note that Mrs Anupa Nathaniel Jacob hailed from Ajmer, Rajasthan where even now the Christians are a minuscule minority and I thank God for her talents in Music. The photo reveals the innocence, gait, beauty and confidence in the then teen aged ladies. It is a tragedy that such a talented lady like Mrs Anupa died of heart attack. I am quite delighted to know about the talents of Arunima who has mastered music despite her biological setbacks. What is she doing now? I pray God to protect and bless this wonderful family.
John Satyananda Kumar
Visakhapatnam, AP
An absolute ripper of a story this! I’m so pumped doing a writeup an my family roots and this inspires a great deal! Never in my wildest dreams would i have imagined an Indian Girl Rock Band in the 60′s! God bless you and your family.
cheers,
Joshua.